I tell ya, being a music critic isn't as easy as it seems.

Apparently I'm "biased," I "suck at life," I "should stop being a journalist because it's obviously too hard" for me, I "should take the silver spoon out of my mouth" and I "should turn up the Soulja Boy on my iPod."

This is what you could ascertain about my personality if you read my e-mail inbox last Tuesday night. A handful of Korn fans (or maybe they'd prefer Children of the Korn?) unleashed holy hell on my inbox after I said they "provided a great show for their fans complete with an impressive light show and plenty of intense, high-energy rock." I even called the fans "winners."

It's like the old saying goes, "You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't."

So what exactly prompted this slew of hate mail I received after last Tuesday's Korn cover ran? One reason is apparently biased reporting.

Let me tell you something: Everyone is biased including us humble newspaper-folk. But we keep our bias out of reporting. However, when a music critic (such as myself) is asked to review a live performance, I review what I see and I experience.

How effective would a review be if all I said was, "The bands played music that the fans loved"? When it came to Korn, I said they put on a great show and if you missed that fact, then God help you. But, c'mon. When Five Finger Death Punch (I still say Five Finger Fruit Punch is a better name) kept threatening the crowd to mosh or else, do you expect me NOT to report that?

Yes, I get it. It was a hard rock show and the tone for the night is supposed to be angry. But if a band is good, they don't have to act like that guy at the bar who is trying desperately to bring a girl back to his place for some sub-par lovin'. That's how it felt during their entire set. C'mon Fruit Punch, show some respect for your selves! You call yourselves a metal band?

Then there's the other issue: incorrect facts. In one hate letter I received, a kind gentleman informed me that Jonathan Davis has been sober since 1998 and when I said that Davis was slurring his words, apparently it irked some fans. I immediately scoured the Internet for some source to back up this claim, and I found an interview with Davis saying he has been sober since 1998. So I take back my claim that Davis was drunk on stage. While the arena was completely dark when someone asked the crowd, "Who wants a beer?" I'll take Davis's word that it wasn't him who was sloshy.

I'll be honest: I was surprised to get all this hate mail. Believe it or not, I use to love Korn. When I was 13 or 14, I had all their CDs, posters, shirts and other random merchandise. Once I hit 16 I grew out of that phase, but when I was asked to cover the Korn show, I got a little excited. I never saw them live as a fan and maybe it would be fun. And surprisingly, I did have fun and was really satisfied with Korn's performance.

I guess what I'm trying to say with this rant is that being a music critic isn't easy. Anyone on the street can have a conversation about music and it's okay if there are differing opinions. But the minute you print something the tiniest bit subversive to popular opinion, things get crazy and people start making wild claims about you as a person like that I eat from a silver spoon or that I listen to Soulja Boy.

And contrary to popular opinion I don't like Soulja Boy. Crank on that.